160406NZHGBSTONES14 Mick Jagger from the Rolling Stones, kicks off the Bigger Bang tour that started its New Zealand leg of there World tour, on Sunday night at Western Springs in Auckland. 16 April 2006 New Zealand Herald Photograph by Greg BowkerGREG BOWKER

'Long legged' pig fossil named after Mick Jagger

COMPLIMENTS really don't get much better - Mick Jagger has been honoured by having a swamp-dwelling fossil named after him.

Two scientists - both of whom are Rolling Stones fans - have called a newly-discovered creature Jaggermeryx naida - Jagger's water nymph.

The reason for the unlikely moniker?

Apparently, it was the musician's full mouth that made his name pop into the imaginations of US scientists Ellen Miller and Gregg Gun nell, who described the animal as having "a highly innervated muzzle with mobile and tactile lips".

Other alternatives were suggested, including Angelina Jolie, but eventually it was decided that only Jagger had lips worthy enough.

The creature has been described as a hybrid of a slender hippo and long-legged pig and originally existed around 19 million years ago in swampy terrain, although was found in a desert area of Egypt.

Jagger is, strangely, yet to comment on the accolade.

This is the second type of fossil to be named after the singer - Jagger was the name given to a type of trilobite, while Keith Richards has been bestowed with the same honour.

In July, Jennifer Lopez had a water mite named after her as a token of gratitude to the singer for her hits such as "Ain't It Funny," ''I Luh Ya Papi" and "All I Have".